This invention relates to scent dispensers used on animal control devices, particularly to a scent dispenser used on a shock-producing, deer repelling and training device in which air movement in the vicinity of the device causes a negative pressure and turbulence inside the scent dispenser which increases evaporation and dispersal of the scent source used as an attractant on the device.
The control of damage caused by deer and other animals is an ongoing challenge. Deer repelling and training devices which deliver an electric shock and which use a scent to attract the deer to touch the device have proven to be very effective in altering deer behavior, resulting in immediate retreat and long term avoidance behaviors.
Various configurations of scent dispensers have been described for animal deterrent devices and for attracting animals for hunting.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,374,571 to Hirvela (1983), U.S. Pat. No. 5,242,111 to Nakoneczny (1993), U.S. Pat. No. 5,307,584 to Jarvis (1994), U.S. Pat. No. 5,465,521 to Baker (1995), U.S. Pat. No. 5,529,243 to Hoyt (1996), U.S. Pat. No. 5,622,314 to Eason (1997), U.S. Pat. No. 5,832,648 to Malone (1998) and U.S. Pat. No. 5,857,281 to Bergquist (1999) show variations of containers and exposed wicks used on scent dispensers that rely only on simple air movement without additional dispersal means being provided.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,989,547 to Eaton (1991) and U.S. Pat. No. 5,970,643 to Gawel (1999) show scent dispensers that require an electric fan to disperse the scent.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,461,814 to Reid (1995) shows a device that uses the mechanical motion of a person walking to distribute scent.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,279,062 to Burgeson (1994) and U.S. Pat. No. 5,971,208 to Kennedy (1999) show scent dispensers that operate using the expansion and contraction caused by the heating and cooling of the sun to dispense a scented liquid.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,773,178 to Marek (1988), U.S. Pat. No. 5,359,801 to Mattucci (1994), U.S. Pat. No. 5,429,271 to Porter (1995), U.S. Pat. No. 5,744,106 to Eagle (1998), U.S. Pat. No. 6,038,805 to Smidtke (2000) and U.S. Pat. No. 6,050,016 to Cox (2000) show scent dispensers that require a heat source to evaporate the scent that is used.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,630,571 to Palmer (1986) shows an electrical device to reaction train animals but provides only a flat area which is exposed to the weather for the lure and does not describe the lure to be used.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,894,818 to Betzen (1999) describes a baited, shock-producing, animal repelling and training device in which the deterrent voltage maintained across the electrodes is stored in a capacitor. This innovation of using a capacitor to store the deterrent energy in a baited animal control device allowed the creation of a small wireless device which delivers a single pulse of high voltage energy with a very low amperage, a very short discharge time and a short current path through the nose of the deer attracted to the bait used on the device. A flat area for bait which is exposed to the weather is provided and a suggested bait is peanut butter.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,014,951 to Betzen (2000) shows a deer repellent device having circular electrodes which are opposed at ninety degrees to enclose the scent dispenser which is described as a wick which is soaked with a perfumed oil.
The prior art devices disclosed herein do not provide a scent dispenser for use on a shock-producing, deer repelling and training device in which air movement in the vicinity of the device causes a negative pressure and turbulence inside the scent dispenser which increases evaporation and dispersal of the perfumed oil used as an attractant on the device.
It is evident that all of the prior art devices disclosed herein suffer from various disadvantages which limit their efficiency. Accordingly, various objects and features of the device of the present invention are described subsequently which increase the efficiency of, and eliminate problems associated with, the prior art scent dispensing devices.
The principal object of the present invention is to provide a scent dispenser for use on a shock-producing, deer repelling and training device in which air movement across the device causes a negative pressure inside the scent dispenser which results in increased evaporation and dispersal of the scent source.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a scent dispenser for use on a shock-producing, deer repelling and training device in which the attractant scent source is protected from the weather by a convex shaped top cover and which is therefore suitable for long term outdoor use.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a scent dispenser for use on a shock-producing, deer repelling and training device which has a generally convex shaped top cover such that air moving in the vicinity of the device will have a longer path to pass over the top of the scent dispenser and a shorter path to pass through the scent dispenser.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a scent dispenser for use on a shock-producing, deer repelling and training device which has a dome shaped top or other shape which will aerodynamically resemble the wing of a bird or a plane and which functions such that air movement in the vicinity of the device results in decreased pressure, turbulence and air movement inside the scent dispenser which otherwise would be a calm, protected spot.
The innovation of the present invention improves the technology previously described and the present invention has all of the advantages of the. previously described technology but without the disadvantages. Therefore, it can be seen that the combination of features incorporated into the device of the present invention solves prior problems associated with scent dispensers used on animal repelling and training devices. It can also be seen that the device of the present invention produces new and unobvious results that have not been produced by the prior art.
Additional features will become apparent from a consideration of the ensuing drawings and description.